Years ago, in my terribly misspent teenage years, I had the experience of going with friends to a midnight showing of the Wizard of Oz. No, not synced to Pink Floyd, just the Wizard of Oz. I suspect as wanton and callow youth are inclined, I may have been under the influence of some controlled substance. I do though vividly remember sitting in this darkened theater, as this movie which I had seem dozens, if not hundreds, of times as a kid unfolded yet again before me.
However, this time, as the munchkins and witches and so forth all went about their well rehearsed business in the foreground, somehow my attention was riveted on the background. These cheesy painted studio backgrounds of distant mountains had me transfixed. I couldn't help wondering, yes, yes, I know all about the Yellow Brick Road and the Emerald City and all that. But what the heck is on the other side of those mountains?
This we may say is the inspiration for that experience known as fanfiction. It is a DIY art through which fans tell their own story within the larger framework of the world created by an established work of art and entertainment. This is nothing new; it's been going on for ages. In the sixties though it did become something of a subcultural phenomenon. Both The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Star Trek became the sources for all kinds of creative fanfiction efforts. They reimagined the stories in ways that were beyond the scope, inclination or legal ability of the original show: Klingons could conquer the universe or Kirk and Spock could be gay lovers. This was indeed boldly going where no staff writer had gone before.
Originally the fiction was produced in fanzines, which were mimeographed and stapled collections mailed out to subscribers within a narrow clique of aficionados and conference attendees. The rise of the Internet and particularly the World Wide Web in the early 90s changed all that and has allowed for a great blossoming of fanfiction of all kinds. In recent years, the proliferation of a vast inventory of video material available to be manipulated, edited and reinterpreted has taken fanfiction away from the written word into the YouTube editing room of any fan's bedroom. What remains consistent through it all though is the desire to see what lay beyond those distant mountains - to speak metaphorically.
The shows upon which the fan creators based their efforts always left passages unexplored. There were rooms never seen, alleys next entered, action never taken, hopes never spoken. The original show can only wind through but a single plot line. In doing so, though, countless other portals to new possibilities are left open, unexplored. It is these that the fanfiction creators explore. In the case of The Walking Dead this has been a pretty fertile undertaking. Fanfiction.net to cite just one case has over two thousand stories within the world of the walkers. And that's just skimming the surface of what is out there.
There are recurring themes in the Walking Dead fanfiction. One of the most popular is to delve more deeply into the background or makeup of one or more of the characters -- to understand better where they come from and where they're coming from (if you follow the distinction). Andrea and Daryl have been popular topics for this kind of writing. Others are more interested in getting beyond those mountains off in the distance. They look to tell a story of people that Rick Grimes and crew may never meet, but who are dealing with the same challenges of this walker infested world. In some cases it seems likely that the creators in fact are transparently putting themselves into this world of the Walking Dead. Pondering how they would rise to its challenges. How would they respond?
The Walking Dead fanfiction is a great resource for exploring the multilayered possibilities of the show's world. It is a testament to the creativity of the fan base and just a whole lot of fun. But, in closing, there is the question of why there is such fan fascination with the context of the show.
Does it say something about our world in a way that resonates, even if we don't realize it? Check out our thoughts on that at Pretty Much Dead Already
However, this time, as the munchkins and witches and so forth all went about their well rehearsed business in the foreground, somehow my attention was riveted on the background. These cheesy painted studio backgrounds of distant mountains had me transfixed. I couldn't help wondering, yes, yes, I know all about the Yellow Brick Road and the Emerald City and all that. But what the heck is on the other side of those mountains?
This we may say is the inspiration for that experience known as fanfiction. It is a DIY art through which fans tell their own story within the larger framework of the world created by an established work of art and entertainment. This is nothing new; it's been going on for ages. In the sixties though it did become something of a subcultural phenomenon. Both The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Star Trek became the sources for all kinds of creative fanfiction efforts. They reimagined the stories in ways that were beyond the scope, inclination or legal ability of the original show: Klingons could conquer the universe or Kirk and Spock could be gay lovers. This was indeed boldly going where no staff writer had gone before.
Originally the fiction was produced in fanzines, which were mimeographed and stapled collections mailed out to subscribers within a narrow clique of aficionados and conference attendees. The rise of the Internet and particularly the World Wide Web in the early 90s changed all that and has allowed for a great blossoming of fanfiction of all kinds. In recent years, the proliferation of a vast inventory of video material available to be manipulated, edited and reinterpreted has taken fanfiction away from the written word into the YouTube editing room of any fan's bedroom. What remains consistent through it all though is the desire to see what lay beyond those distant mountains - to speak metaphorically.
The shows upon which the fan creators based their efforts always left passages unexplored. There were rooms never seen, alleys next entered, action never taken, hopes never spoken. The original show can only wind through but a single plot line. In doing so, though, countless other portals to new possibilities are left open, unexplored. It is these that the fanfiction creators explore. In the case of The Walking Dead this has been a pretty fertile undertaking. Fanfiction.net to cite just one case has over two thousand stories within the world of the walkers. And that's just skimming the surface of what is out there.
There are recurring themes in the Walking Dead fanfiction. One of the most popular is to delve more deeply into the background or makeup of one or more of the characters -- to understand better where they come from and where they're coming from (if you follow the distinction). Andrea and Daryl have been popular topics for this kind of writing. Others are more interested in getting beyond those mountains off in the distance. They look to tell a story of people that Rick Grimes and crew may never meet, but who are dealing with the same challenges of this walker infested world. In some cases it seems likely that the creators in fact are transparently putting themselves into this world of the Walking Dead. Pondering how they would rise to its challenges. How would they respond?
The Walking Dead fanfiction is a great resource for exploring the multilayered possibilities of the show's world. It is a testament to the creativity of the fan base and just a whole lot of fun. But, in closing, there is the question of why there is such fan fascination with the context of the show.
Does it say something about our world in a way that resonates, even if we don't realize it? Check out our thoughts on that at Pretty Much Dead Already
About the Author:
Mickey Jhonny is lead writer at The Walking Dead celebration site: http://prettymuchdeadalready.com He also writes for the Mad Men celebration cite: http://dondraperhaircut.com http://dondraperhaircut.com/
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